


Of course he's unavailable, he is exactly my type after all...

by Late_to_the_fandom



Category: Sterek - Fandom, Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Derek does not approve, Derek falls for him, Derek has morals, M/M, Misunderstandings, Stiles lets in be known that he is interested, stiles is in a relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-27
Updated: 2018-12-27
Packaged: 2019-09-28 16:55:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17186804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Late_to_the_fandom/pseuds/Late_to_the_fandom
Summary: A new internal email just popped up in his inbox and he clicked on it, opening the message from human resources welcoming the newly hired supervisor. He smiled at the photo, the man grinning goofily while still managing to be good looking enough for him to take note. Dude was unfairly photogenic with warm dark amber eyes that saw into your soul and tousled chestnut hair.He read the short summary of his back ground and a few tidbits of information on his personal life, cocking an eyebrow at the man’s name and losing a bit of interest at the mention that he had a girlfriend and two small kids. He wasn’t surprised to learn he wasn’t single, the chances he was into men were slim to begin with, so he trashed the message and refocused his attention on his task.





	Of course he's unavailable, he is exactly my type after all...

**Author's Note:**

> This actually happened to me. Said person is exactly my type but is in a relation ship and I am not touching that with a ten foot pole. I am not one to pursue someone when I know they are not available. Do not do onto others, etc...
> 
> On the flip side, it is great material for a Sterek unrequited love story! 
> 
> For some reason I had Khalid's "show me where your love lies" playing on repeat in my mind when I wrote this..

A new internal email just popped up in his inbox and he clicked on it, opening the message from human resources welcoming the newly hired supervisor. He smiled at the photo, the man grinning goofily while still managing to be good looking enough for him to take note. Dude was unfairly photogenic with warm dark amber eyes that saw into your soul and tousled chestnut hair.   

 

He read the short summary of his back ground and a few tidbits of information on his personal life, cocking an eyebrow at the man’s name and losing a bit of interest at the mention that he had a girlfriend and two small kids. He wasn’t surprised to learn he wasn’t single, the chances he was into men were slim to begin with, so he trashed the message and refocused his attention on his task.

      

 

 

-oOo-

 

Derek made it to his desk with a few minutes to spare, grumbling about needing a vacation to get over his vacation. Not that he’d done anything special, but he had gone to bed way too late every night of his two weeks off and he was now paying the price. He was bleary eyed and grumpy and needed a coffee.  Someone snickered close by and he scanned the room to find honey coloured gaze staring at him over a monitor a few desks over. He sighed and rubbed a hand over his face in embarrassment. “I said that out loud, didn’t I?”

 

The man, _Stiles,_ his brain provided, got up and ambled towards him giving him only a few seconds to gather his wits. He stood and shook his hand while trying not to ogle too much. His photo had not done him justice. Stiles beamed. “Yep, you most certainly did. I’m Stiles but I guess you knew that already.” Derek smiled in turn even though he wanted to hide under the work surface. “Derek and yes, I got the memo before I left. Nice to meet you.”

 

They chatted for a few minutes then Stiles had to leave for a meeting. Derek watched him walk away as he sat back in his chair, shaking his head in discouragement and knowing full well he needed to tamper down his interest because there was no way in hell he had a chance with the man. It just sucked balls that he was _exactly_ his type.

 

 

-oOo-

 

As the weeks passed and they got to know each other they settled into an office-based camaraderie where snarky comments and communicating with eyebrows had become the norm. They found out that they had similar interests and enjoyed the same movies and restaurants. Derek had surprised himself by not developing a huge(r) crush on his co-worker whom he now considered a friend. 

 

As weeks melted into months, a continuous flow of banter and one upping the other ensued. In early spring Stiles went away on vacation and Derek felt strangely bereaved. Stiles had seemed off recently, enough that he had noticed a slight change in his behaviour, but he did not feel their relationship was such that he could pry in the other man’s personal life. He was confident that if Stiles needed to talk he would approach him, if and when he was ready. In the meanwhile, the days he was absent dragged on and he secretly counted the hours until his return. He also berated himself for being an imbecile and falling a little more than in _like_ with him.    

 

-oOo-

 

The company picnic was typically a boisterous affair and Stiles fit right in. Although he had been a bit broody upon his return from his vacation, the current base-ball game brought him right back to his usual sarcastic self as he taunted the base runners. Derek was pitching, and every time Stiles teased or heckled a player he’d crack up which messed his pitches and they lost the current inning.  Stiles jogged up to him and slapped his butt as he catcalled Matt in accounting with another disparaging comment on his team’s performance. Derek laughed at his idiocy, pulling his ball cap lower to try and hide the blush he felt creeping up his face at the contact of his hand on his ass. The man was proving to be a menace to his starving libido.      

 

The game ended when the other team upended the Gatorade dispenser over Stiles’ head, effectively shutting him up as the cold beverage cascaded over his body. He gasped at the shock and shook himself, pulling his wet t-shirt off and wringing out the excess liquid. Derek had never been so happy to be wearing sunglasses as he was in that moment. He ogled Stiles naked chest, eyes tracing along the smattering of hair and the lean muscles of his torso, lingering on his dusky nipples and tracing down his happy trail. Someone jostled him, snapping him out of his inappropriate leering and he hoped no one had noticed how quiet he’d become. Stiles head snapped around, searching until his gaze locked on him, all toothy smile and happy faced, and he felt his resolve, and his heart slowly melted in the sun.  The realization that he was royally fucked did not even faze him.     

 

-oOo- 

 

It had started with a few people wanting to go out for drinks and ended with almost half the company crammed in the back portion of the bar where Stiles was now regaling everyone with crazy tales of his youth and the numerous shenanigans he partook in with his best friend Scott. He was a great story teller and had them eating out his hand. Derek suspected he enjoyed being the center of attention a bit too much, but people seemed to enjoy being in his company and, truth be told, so did he, so hung in the back and nursed his beer while he watched the young man interact with their co-workers.

 

All the small things he did not know he was doing, like the way he laughed with his whole body, his head thrown back and voice booming and the way his hands were always moving, punctuating his words or that way he’d look at you when you talked that made you feel interesting and important, all these things were wearing his resolve down and it scared him. It was terrifying, really, being half in love with him and knowing the feelings were unrequited and would never be reciprocated.

 

Erica from accounting suddenly popped up beside him, bumping his shoulder as she sipped her pink drink. She smiled up at him and batted her eyelashes outrageously and leaned into his side. “So, you and Stiles, uh?” He sputtered, almost choking on the mouthful of beer he had yet to swallow. He managed to do so before it came out of his nose and looked at her incredulously as he mumbled, “What do you mean me and Stiles? We’re just friends.”

 

She giggled at his expression, an eyebrow raised in that way that meant “Yeah, _right_ ”, obviously not believing a word he was saying. “Did you think I wouldn’t notice? I’ve known you long enough to be able to decipher your secret eyebrow code plus the heart eyes you flash when he’s not looking are a dead giveaway.”  Her gaze bored into his soul as she sipped her fruity concoction and he felt a sudden wave of heat creeping up his neck as anxiety bubbled in his chest.

 

She leaned closer and whispered, “Relax, no one suspects a thing. You’ve managed to hide it well.” He glanced Stiles’ way and was relieved to see he was still gesticulating and making people laugh. Erica was not teasing him, he knew that, but he felt as though his façade was crumbling, as though people would _know_ about his feelings and panic must have shown on his face because he was suddenly herded towards the exit by a very determined accountant.  They burst out on the sidewalk and took a few steps away from the doorway. Folding at the waist he braced himself on his knees and breathed big gulps of air while Erica rubbed circles on his back, cooing words of encouragements in his ear. 

 

“Derek, honey, relax. I swear no one else noticed and I only did because I know you so well.”  He snorted and almost snarled, “He’s straight, in a relationship and has kids. How does any of that relate to me?” He pushed away from the wall, nervously wiping his palms on his thighs. He was enveloped in a hug and Erica’s voice tickled his cheek. ”You should talk to him before this eats you from the inside out.” Disentangling himself he shook his head, “No way. No. Just….. just tell the others I didn’t feel well,” and walked away.

    

-oOo- 

 

Few people knew he was a Christmas baby and his birthday was often forgotten thus making Christmas a bittersweet affair. This year would probably be one of the more difficult ones yet: Cora was spending it with her boyfriend at his parents place and Laura’s husband had gifted her a two weeks trip to the British Isles and they had boarded their plane a few days ago, leaving him alone for the first time in as long as he could remember. He understood, but it sucked. And, if he was being honest with himself, it hurt a lot more than he would ever confess.

 

The only thing he was looking forward to this holiday season was the office party taking place later that evening. He would celebrate with Erica and her boyfriend and have a bit of fun with their coworkers but in the meantime the day was dragging on. Most companies had already closed for the day and the few customers that were still contacting them were completing last minute tasks then leaving for the holidays, so they were stuck in the office for another excruciatingly long forty-three minutes.

 

Someone had the brilliant idea of blasting Christmas Carols over the PA system and after a few seconds of surprise, everyone burst out laughing and singing out of tune. Derek smiled at everyone’s antics, warmth suffusing his cheeks when he glanced up to find Stiles staring at him, a huge grin splitting his face seconds before he joined the discordant chorus around them.

 

-oOo- 

 

Derek was already decently buzzed, the alcohol dulling his sadness, making him mellower and uninhibited. The food had been great, the few organized games had been fun and now the dance floor was filled. The bass lines thrumming in his chest helped getting him out of his head, if only for a few hours. He was far from being drunk but lose enough that he abandoned himself to the music, knowing full well he’d have to face being alone for the next week.

 

He danced with Erica and her boyfriend Boyd, did the YMCA and the macarena, then he made a beeline for the bar where he ordered a couple of shots and downed them in rapid succession, followed by a bottle of water which disappeared in a few gulps. Leaning back against the bar top he surveyed the crowd, his sight immediately locking on to Stiles who was doing a weird flailing thing in the middle of the dance floor, smiling goofily at some guy from sales who must have said something funny because he suddenly threw his head back, his face scrunching in laughter.

_Want_ instantaneously pulsated in his abdomen and he quickly turned around, looking for a way to escape. He could not stay here, not in this state and not in this frame of mind. He sped off and entered the men’s room farthest from the reception hall, locked himself in a stall and tried to breathe through his panic. A few people came in and did their business and he stayed put until he everyone left. He waited a few minutes longer, making sure he was truly alone, then slowly opening the door to the stall he was hiding in, stuck his head out to survey the room and headed to wash his hands. The mirror returned his reflection and he stared at himself, noting the glumness of his features, the haunted veil in his eyes. He quickly dried his hands with the intent of escaping before anyone could intercept him then slipped out and headed towards a sitting area hidden in a corner of the deserted lobby.

 

He sat, fidgeting with his phone while debating if he should just leave and walk home to clear his head or call for a cab and almost dropped it when someone cleared their throat behind him. He swirled around and came face to face with Stiles who was nonchalantly leaning against the wall, arms crossed on his chest and the beginning of a frown on his handsome face.

 

-oOo- 

 

He gaped in surprise, heat creeping up his cheeks at having been caught by the one person he was desperately trying to avoid. Stiles looked like he had swallowed a bug, his features doing strange things and his brows furrowed over the bridge of his nose. Eyes vague, as though he was remembering something, he spoke distractedly. “A very scary woman recently advised me, in no uncertain terms I might add, that I’m a moron. It seems I might have been less than obvious in my approach, that I might need to be clear in my intent.”  

 

Derek looked on in incredulity, not understanding what he was getting at. Twitching in his seat, he grunted, ”I have no clue what you’re talking about”. Stiles pushed away from the wall, pacing agitatedly in front of him. “I mean, I thought it was clear but obviously not.” He fiddled with the cuff of his sleeve and continued his monologue. “Looks like I can’t even _flirt_ correctly. I’ve been going out of my way to smile and be available and shit and it’s not working. So, tell me what I need to do because I have no clue, dude!”    

 

Derek’s confusion was complete. “Stiles, what is this about?” Stiles stopped his pacing and stood still, eyes looking everywhere but at him, seemingly searching for his words. When he did find his voice, it was to whine breathily, “ _Derek”,_ which was quickly followed by a flurry of movement as he threw both arms in the air in exasperation then dropped heavily on the seat beside him. He leaned forward with his forearms on his thighs, head hung between his shoulders and fingers knotted to stop them from trembling. Stiles hunched a bit then resolved himself and just blurted, “I like you and I thought I was doing a great job showing you.”

 

-oOo- 

 

Derek swallowed thickly, hating that he was put in this position, mind scrambling to find an appropriate way of getting out of this situation. He ground the heels of both hands on his eyes and exhaled slowly. “Jesus, Stiles. What the hell? Is that a game you play?” he spat viciously. He couldn’t stand sitting close to him, so he got up and distanced himself, hands balling into fists with low grade anger.     

 

Stiles’ head snapped up, eyes rounding with surprised incomprehension as he spoke. “Game?” Derek’s laugh was forced and laced with indignation as he snarled in his face, “Yes!  A game! You know, when you play with people’s emotions and lives in blatant disrespect!” He felt betrayed by this man whom he’d slowly fallen for, not believing he could have been blind to his true self.   

 

Stiles flinched back against his vehement displeasure. He looked bewilderedly around, wondering if any one would help him if this escalated into a physical assault. He drew his hands up to placate him and spoke calmly, “Derek, I don’t know what you think is going on but I’m not playing any games.” The growl that erupted from Derek was almost feral and had him jerk back anxiously. “Dude, can you breathe and take a step back? You’re kinda freaking me out!” Derek made that snarling sound again and pulled back, crossing his arms over his chest, closing himself off. He glared from his post, telegraphing his resentment with his scowling eyebrows.       

 

“Derek, we’re clearly not on the same page here and I need you to tell me what you mean. Please?” Stiles spoke earnestly, his big caramel eyes almost begging. Derek battled with himself for a few short minutes. On one hand he hated cheaters and liars but on the other, the bewildered expression that graced Stiles features had him faltering in his belief that he was guilty. Something was gnawing at him and he wasn’t so eager to condemn.

 

-oOo- 

     

He rubbed a hand on his nape then carded his fingers in his hair, the gesture a reflex used when he was uncomfortable with his emotions. His thoughts were a jumbled mess. Was he wrong in his judgment of Stiles’ actions? Had his infatuation blinded him to the other man’s character flaws? Ambivalence kept scratching in the back of his mind, reminding him that he was not into condemning someone without a damn good reason, so he dared a glance in Stiles’ direction, finding the young man staring at him with naked hope in his eyes.

 

He sighed deeply, wondering how to express himself so that he would not be construed as criticizing or casting blame. “You say you’ve been trying to flirt with me, that you though it was obvious that you were interested,” he looked pointedly at his shoes, not wanting to face whatever emotion was flitting on his friend’s face, “What about Mandy and the kids? What about your family, Stiles? Everything you said, it’s just…..  it’s just so _wrong_!!!  How can you do this to them?” he pleaded.

 

Stiles rose and sidled up to him, stepping in his personal space until he was standing at arms length. He stood there, fidgeting, hands wanting to touch but never quite making contact.

There was an almost musical quality to his voice when he spoke, the tone fond and affectionate, ”Do you remember when I went on vacation in the spring?” He nodded, remembering quite well how he had missed him. Stiles went on with his explanation, “I took those two weeks to break it of with Mandy and her kids. I used the time off to get things sorted out, got an apartment and moved out. I took the following months to figure what I wanted.”

 

He frowned, drawing his head up and risking a look at Stiles sheepish features. The man was smiling softly, his eyes full of something he dared not put a name to right away.  Stiles moved closer and grabbed his hand. “I fell in love with this amazing person and I could not stay in a relation ship that had been rocky for a few years anyway, so I did the right thing and ended it before it became a huge mess.” He squeezed his fingers. “It’s been you for a few months now. I guess I should have talked it out with you instead of acting like a fool and trying to grab your attention,” he laughed self deprecatingly, his cheeks pinking, “not that it worked so well at any rate.”

 

Derek had forgotten how lungs worked a few minutes ago and he had to remind himself that it was a necessary function. He released the breath he had been holding slowly, because of course he’d get a head rush _,_ pushed forward and cradled Stiles’ face in his big hands as he kissed him.  

 

-oOo- 

 

Derek’s mouth on his had Stiles shocked stupid, his head going off line at the contact. He stood still and unresponsive as his cognitive functions scrambled to make sense of what was happening. His brain finally registered that he needed to do something when Derek was suddenly embarrassed, apologizing about kissing him and saying he was sorry he’d misunderstood as he moved away. Reason instantly came crashing back and he flailed as he plunged forward to grab a fistful of Derek’s dress shirt, stopping him from leaving. “Where the fuck do you think you’re going? Get back here you idiot.”

 

Derek’s posture relaxed, a short bark of laughter burst out in apparent relief. Stiles crowded against his larger frame, snaked an arm around his waist and grasped a handful of his soft hair as he slotted his lips against Derek’s. A rumble rattled in his chest at the wet warmth of the man’s tongue tracing the seam of his mouth, requesting access and deepening the kiss as it was granted. Once the need to breathe became pressing, Stiles touched his forehead against Derek’s as they gulped heavily, a soft satisfied smile on his soft lips.     

 

“That was _amazing_ ,“ he said dreamily, “We need to do that many, _many_ times again.“ Derek just smirked and leaned in, whispering, “Best Christmas gift _ever._ ” before  capturing the younger man’s mouth for an encore.


End file.
